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Somali folktales

A cannibal woman disguised in a villager's clothes standing at a village doorway at night - Somali folktale

The Cannibal Woman

by Elizabeth Fabowale

African Folktales·East African Folktales

Long ago, in a Somali village, there lived a terrifying woman who ate people. The villagers feared her. They whispered warnings to their children and told travelers to be careful when passing near her home. In the village, there was a family. The husband had to travel for work, and before leaving, he warned his wife. “Do not open the

A magical talking head resting on a tea shop counter in a Somali village

African Folktales·East African Folktales

The Magical Head

Long ago, in a faraway village, there lived a man with two wives. His first wife was honest, hardworking, and kind. She did everything well, caring for the home and the family with a heart full of goodness. But the man did not appreciate her. Ungrateful and impatient, he divorced

Parchment-style illustration of princess and beloved at city gates; Somali folktale of wisdom and partnership.

The King’s Clever Daughter

Long ago, in a time when kings ruled with absolute authority and

Clever fox tricking a lion near a herd of cattle- A Somali Folktale

Why the Fox Lost Everything

Long ago, when animals lived and worked together as if they were

Parchment-style Somali folktale illustration of lost sheep meeting sly hyena on dusty savanna road.

The Lost Sheep and the Cunning Hyena

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Somali Folktales

Long ago, in the vast stretches of the Somali landscape where the golden grasslands met the dusty roads that wound between villages, there lived the animals that have always

Parchment-style Somali folktale illustration of two cousins journeying through desert town toward Islamic school.

The Power of Education

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Somali Folktales

Once upon a time, in a land where knowledge was treasured more than gold, two young men embarked on a journey that would change their lives forever. These travelers

Parchment-style illustration of Osman unveiling bride in palace; Somali folktale of pride and clever deception.

The Shopkeeper’s Humiliation

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Somali Folktales

In a bustling Somali town where merchants called out their wares and the scent of spices filled the marketplace air, there lived a woman named Amina and her daughter,

Parchment-style illustration of Ina Hagadare praying between two sheep flocks; Somali folktale of faith and frustration.

Ina Hagadare and the Dying Sheep

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Somali Folktales

In the vast, sun-baked plains of Somalia, where the earth stretches endlessly beneath an unforgiving sky, there once lived a man named Ina Hagadare. He was a shepherd, a

Parchment-style illustration of Igal Shidal rolled in rug as wife cries; Somali folktale of cowardice and survival.

Igal Shidal and the Enemy

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Somali Folktales

In a small Somali town, where the wind whispered secrets across the arid landscape and the sun beat down mercilessly on mud-brick homes, there lived a man named Igal

A brave Somali girl sitting on a tree branch near a lake with a mortar in her hands, while a lion and wild animals search below - Somali folktale

The Girl and the Lion

African Folktales·East African Folktales

Once upon a time, in a village by the vast Somali plains, there lived a young girl named Fatima. She was engaged to a man, and her family awaited

Deya Ali, the clever fox, standing near a village with a jar of flies and a pile of meat - Somali folktale

How the Clever Fox Fooled the Villagers in Somalia

African Folktales·East African Folktales

Long ago, in a Somali village, there lived a fox named Deya Ali. She was known for her cunning, always looking for ways to trick others and get what

A black crow perched on a tree branch in a Somali folktale

The Black Crow

African Folktales·East African Folktales

Long ago, before the sky was full of birds as we know them today, there was a sheikh, a wise priest who served the people. At that time, he

Mohammed Hassan and Deka in a Somali village, surrounded by camels and goats - Somali folktale

How Mohammed Hassan Learned Not to Be Too Shy

African Folktales·East African Folktales

Once upon a time, in a village by the wide Somali plains, there lived a young boy named Mohammed Hassan. He had lost both his father and mother when

Boy and his mother walking across cracked, dry land toward a distant village – Somali Folktale

The Cracked Land of Drought

African Folktales·East African Folktales

Once upon a time, a mother and her young son began a long journey to visit her married daughter far away. They set off early in the morning, carrying

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